Then take 1 tablespoon olive oil and spread it at the bottom of the stoneware of your crockpot. Or, if you are me, create an eclipse like effect as so:

Meanwhile, in another bowl beat one egg with a fork. Note that you will use this bowl and the dry ingredients bowl to dip the chicken into so make sure you have room:

Dip each chicken breast in the egg bowl and then the dry bowl until completely covered and then place in the bottom of your crockpot:

Then cover the chicken with slices of mozzarella. I may have gone a bit overboard with the cheese:

Finally, add one jar of your favorite sauce:

Then cook on low for 7 hours and serve over your favorite pasta. I chose plain ol' spaghetti although, secretly, I am a mostaccoli girl. How do you even spell mostaccoli? My husband likes spaghetti so I went that route.

Verdict:

B didn't like it because the breading wasn't crunchy and the cheese was all "goopy." I didnt mind the cheese or lack of breading, however, the overall taste was lacking.

Things I learned:

I still really don't like salt and I keep tasting it in everything. I am going to stop adding it.

I like my sauce a bit sweeter (thanks Mom!) so when I make another dish with sauce, I will add some molasses (double thanks Mom!)

Cheese will melt and just blend in with the sauce if you cook it for 7 hours

I like cheese a lot!

Some things are better done the old-fashioned way rather than in a crockpot

February 14, 2010

Since today was Valentine's Day and I *love* my husband, I decided it was guinea pig day and that we needed to try a new dish in our crockpot rotation. Isn't that what love is all about, experimentation?

Not so much in this house, but I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best. And it was good. Very, very good.

These are the ingredients you need. I used an almost 4 lb roast. We have plenty left over.

First you need to plop your roast in the pot like so:

Then add 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of Chinese 5-spice. Add to that 6 tablespoons of ketchup and 6 tablespoons of honey. Then on top of that add 1/2 cup soy sauce and a 1/2 cup of hoisin sauce so it looks messy like this:

Set the crockpot to low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, cut up the roast in big chunks and turn to high for another hour. Then the roast will shred so simply with a fork like so:

Okay, maybe not the most attractive picture, but you have to trust. I served it with white rice and chow mein noodles. So beautiful:

Verdict:

B said this was really good. I liked it, but felt it was a bit salty and needed a bit more flavor.

Things I learned:

I really don't like salt so I may either get a half sodium soy sauce next time or cut the amount in half

I like things with a bit of kick so I am looking for an ingredient to slightly spice this up

I may either add more honey or some brown sugar next time for a bit of a sweeter taste

Chow mein noodles rock (but I already knew that)

Shredded beef is more than just for sandwiches

Tell me:

Any thoughts on what I could use to sweeten and/or spice this dish up?

Tips or Thoughts?

Let's Get Cooking!

This blog was created to spark whatever cooking ability that may be hidden (well hidden) deep inside of me. If you know me, you know that I do not cook. The most I have ever made are dips and desserts (and sometimes those don't turn out either). In order to move on from the basics, and to put all of the recipes that I have hoarded throughout the years to good use, I have created this blog.